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Choosing Courage: Inspiring True Stories of What It Means to Be a Hero

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Choosing Courage: Inspiring True Stories of What It Means to Be a Hero

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Overview

How does an ordinary person become a hero? It happens in a split second, a moment of focus and clarity, when a choice is made. Here are the gripping accounts of Medal of Honor recipients who demonstrated guts and selflessness on the battlefield and confronted life-threatening danger to make a difference. There are the stories of George Sakato and Vernon Baker—both of whom overcame racial discrimination to enlist in the army during World War II (Sakato was a second-generation Japanese American, Baker an African American) and went on to prove that heroes come in all colors—and Clint Romesha, who led his outnumbered fellow soldiers against a determined enemy to prevent the Taliban from taking over a remote U.S. Army outpost in Afghanistan.

Also included are civilians who have been honored by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation for outstanding acts of bravery in crisis situations, from a school shooting to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Adding depth and context are illuminating essays on the combat experience and its aftermath, covering topics such as overcoming fear; a mother mourning the loss of her son; and “surviving hell” as a prisoner of war.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781579656607
Publisher:	Artisan
Publication date:	05/19/2015
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	292
Lexile:	1150L (what's this?)
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Peter Collier has written extensively about bravery in battle in the New York Times bestselling Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty, first published by Artisan in 2003. He lives in Nevada City, California. The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to perpetuate the medal’s legacy of courage, sacrifice, and patriotism.

Introduction xi

World War II 1

Jack Lucas: The Boy Who Went to War 6

My Grandfather The War Hero Jonna Doolittte Hoppes 16

George Sakato: "Going for Broke" 22

Desmond Doss: The Lifesaver 32

Vernon Baker: Fighting for Dignity 40

The Korean War 51

Tibor Rubin: The Survivor 54

Ronald Rosser: A Brother Fights for Revenge 64

Overcoming Fear Wesley L. Fox 74

Tom Hudner: The Color of Friendship 78

The Vietnam War 87

Sammy Davis: A Soldier's Job 90

A Life Saved Jim Deisier 96

Alfred Rascon: Ten Minutes of Hell 104

George "Bud" Day: Maximum Resistance 112

Surviving Hell Leo K. Thorsness 123

Thomas Morris and Michael Thornton: Devils with Green Faces 129

The Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan 145

Salvatore Giunta: Bringing a Buddy Home 149

Clinton Romesha: Born to Fight 160

War Wounds That Last a Lifetime Juanita Milligan 170

A Daughter's Story MattieMae Milligan 174

Leroy Petry: A Ranger Leads the Way 177

The Loss of a Son Deb Dunham 186

Heroism in Civilian Life 192

Rick Rescorla: Warnings and Bravery on 9/11 196

Jencie Fagan: A Teacher's Lesson in Courage 206

On Being Bullied and Learning Self-Respect Allen Lynch 211

Jordy Cox: Healing the World, One Patient at a Time 217

On Serving Others Before Self Jack Jacobs 224

Afterword: The Consequences of War 229

The Medal of Honor: Then and Now 231

A Glossary of Military Terms 239

Author's Note 245

Index 246

Photography Credits 258

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Editorial Reviews

For most of us, the question "Do you have what it takes to be a true hero?" has an easy answer: NO. For the subjects of this new book by Peter Collier (Medal of Honor; The Kennedys; The Roosevelts), the answer was often a resounding yes. Choosing Courage spotlights both military and civilian heroes who put their lives on the line beyond which there is no return to save the lives of others. Its rich narratives are enhanced by sidebars, essays on the combat experience and its psychological aftermath; and other features.

03/09/2015
As he did in his 2003 adult work, Medal of Honor, Collier spotlights recipients of America’s highest military award in this book, published in collaboration with the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. Collier broadens the scope of his tributes to include a handful of civilians who have been recognized by the foundation, yet his focus remains on veterans who distinguished themselves in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Two especially relevant profiles to young readers are those of a Nevada middle-school teacher, who persuaded a student to surrender his gun after he opened fire at school, and a North Carolina boy who, after forging his mother’s signature to enlist in WWII at age 13, threw himself on a grenade to save his fellow Marines at Iwo Jima. Similar accounts of self-sacrificing devotion and humility echo throughout these harrowing and, at times, horrific accounts of combat, intensifying their emotional impact. Interspersed b&w photos also help personalize the profiles, while sidebars provide succinct background information on the various wars. An illuminating and worthwhile resource. Ages 10–up. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Every story in this remarkable book is inspiring and deeply moving. The heroic accounts of bravery vanquishing fear and service before self should be mandatory reading for every child—and adult—in this country.”
—Gary Sinise, actor, musician, and founder of the Gary Sinise Foundation

“The stories in this book . . . convey the human side of heroism.”
—The Baltimore Sun

“Open to any page of Choosing Courage and prepare to be awed at the ability of ordinary people to do extraordinary things. These tales of heroism take the reader from World War II to Iraq and Afghanistan and to U.S. shores, where even a schoolteacher can face life-and-death situations.”
—The Philadelphia Inquirer

“Collier takes readers on an emotional journey into the trenches, through prisoner of war camps to makeshift hospitals, conveying the bravery that compels certain individuals to rise above their fear to protect and save others. Published in collaboration with the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, the book devotes each chapter to a different tale of a medal recipient and is often followed by a page or two of background or historical information. Although the Medal of Honor was created in 1861, the book begins with stories from the battlefields of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. It includes a story from the attack on the World Trade Center, tales of heroism from Iraq and Afghanistan, Haiti, the Congo, and in the halls of an American middle school. Some of the 25 entries are told in the third person, while others are narrated by the hero in question. Most moving are the tales that are told by parents and children of the honorees. The book concludes with a note about the consequences of war and the history of the Congressional Medal of Honor. VERDICT: Middle grade readers will appreciate the consistent format, short chapters, straightforward language, photos, and background information, and will benefit from the factual material and the underlying lessons of courage.”
—School Library Journal

“As he did in his 2003 adult work, Medal of Honor, Collier spotlights recipients of America’s highest military award in this book, published in collaboration with the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. Collier broadens the scope of his tributes to include a handful of civilians who have been recognized by the foundation, yet his focus remains on veterans who distinguished themselves in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Two especially relevant profiles to young readers are those of a Nevada middle-school teacher, who persuaded a student to surrender his gun after he opened fire at school, and a North Carolina boy who, after forging his mother’s signature to enlist in WWII at age 13, threw himself on a grenade to save his fellow Marines at Iwo Jima. Similar accounts of self-sacrificing devotion and humility echo throughout these harrowing and, at times, horrific accounts of combat, intensifying their emotional impact. Interspersed b&w photos also help personalize the profiles, while sidebars provide succinct background information on the various wars. An illuminating and worthwhile resource.”
—Publishers Weekly

“While this book targets ages 10 and up, I believe it to be a great addition to the library of anyone who loves history.”—About Families

From the Publisher

04/01/2015
Gr 4–8—Collier takes readers on an emotional journey into the trenches, through prisoner of war camps to makeshift hospitals, conveying the bravery that compels certain individuals to rise above their fear to protect and save others. Published in collaboration with the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, the book devotes each chapter to a different tale of a medal recipient and is often followed by a page or two of background or historical information. Although the Medal of Honor was created in 1861, the book begins with stories from the battlefields of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. It includes a story from the attack on the World Trade Center, tales of heroism from Iraq and Afghanistan, Haiti, the Congo, and in the halls of an American middle school. Some of the 25 entries are told in the third person, while others are narrated by the hero in question. Most moving are the tales that are told by parents and children of the honorees. The book concludes with a note about the consequences of war and the history of the Congressional Medal of Honor. VERDICT Middle grade readers will appreciate the consistent format, short chapters, straightforward language, photos, and background information, and will benefit from the factual material and the underlying lessons of courage.—MaryAnn Karre, West Middle School, Binghamton, NY

School Library Journal

Choosing Courage: Inspiring True Stories of What It Means to Be a Hero

Choosing Courage: Inspiring True Stories of What It Means to Be a Hero

eBook

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Overview

Product Details

About the Author

Table of Contents

Customer Reviews

Related collections and offers

Overview

Product Details

About the Author

Table of Contents

Related Subjects

Customer Reviews